Throughout my whole life I’ve always heard that sugar is bad for you, that it will kills most of the gains you’re trying to get in the gym. But I’ve wondered whether it’s really that simple.
I’ve read that too much sugar can mess with insulin sensitivity, jack up inflammation, and make it easier to store fat. I came across a study from The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2016) that claimed those who eat a ton of added sugar — like 25% of their calories — saw their insulin sensitivity drop in just two weeks. That’s not great if you’re trying to stay lean and keep muscle insulin-responsive.
But people often argue the other way. Some coaches swear that sugar has a time and place, mainly around workouts. The Journal of Applied Physiology (2018) claimed that quick carbs, even straight-up sugar, can help reload glycogen faster after hard training. That means better recovery and sometimes stronger lifts the next day.
So now I’m wondering: should athletes and lifters really treat sugar like it’s poison, or does timing and context matter?
For me personally, avoiding sugar almost entirely gets rid of unpredictable energy fluctuations.
I avoid carbohydrates in general, outside of one meal a week, which is consumed on a non-training day, and will contain sugar via honey and table sugar, among other things.
I don’t think there’s any denying that sugar can benefit performance. It’s a quick energy source. However, my own personal experience is that very few individuals train in such a manner as to need a significant degree of sugar, or carbohydrates in general, to meet their goals.
If I were to consume carbs, it would be around training. My experience with Surge pre-workout fuel demonstrated to me how effective that can be.
When you say “sugar” - are you meaning things like candy and soda? Or fruits, honey, or foods with naturally occurring sugars?
I think sugary processed foods are a bad idea whether you’re trying to build muscle or not. An occasional treat is fine, but even then I at least think about the quality and the reason. Is it a homemade chocolate cookie or local ice cream? I’m all for it on an occasion. But if it’s a sleeve of Oreos, I’ll pass every time.
I do like to eat fruits and honey regularly. They’re great as a preworkout energy source, a post-workout refuel, and also a great treat to end a meal with.
It can have a place after a workout, but its impact has been exaggerated and you don’t need to hurriedly replenish glycogen stores with sugar to make gains.
It’s part of a package deal being included with fruit or milk, which have their benefits depending on your goal, but there’s little to no reason to seek-out added sugar unless you’re being honest about it and just want to consume something tasty every once in awhile.
By sugar I mean the stuff you find in candy and soda. I think most people make that complete distinction between those because of how differently the body reacts to them.
How, specifically, does the body react differently between table sugar or HFCS compared to fructose/glucose combination in fruit, for the purposes of this topic? I’d be very curious to know more.
Because I feel like it’s not the sugar the body reacts differently to.
My wife and I put our entire family on a sugar-free and starch-free diet several years ago (based upon a book called Breaking the Vicious Cycle) with the intent of helping our kids overcome allergies and eczema. The diet worked wonders…after 6 months of being off of those foods.
We ate honey and fruits during the entire six-month period, but we avoided any processed sugar strictly the entire time.
I’ve had other periods of time when I’ve gone sugar-free. Those are the times I’ve felt the best physically.
My experience with the benefits of cutting sugar completely out of the diet is why I originally asked the question. I wanted to see what others’ experiences (especially people who are actively exercising) were like.
It is all eventually converted, what makes fruits and honey special? It was the additives, preservatives etc. that are in all the processed food you cut out.
You have your answer. If it works for you, it works for you.
For me its goal oriented. If I’m trying to hit PRs, I’ll be consuming sugar, usually in the form of Honey Grahams or Franken Berry. If I want to trim up, I cut that stuff out.